Fourth Quarter Comeback Falls Short, USJ Falls to SJC, 65-60

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) women's basketball team mounted a fierce comeback in the fourth quarter, but fell just short, 65-60, against Saint Joseph's College of Maine (SJC) during Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action Saturday afternoon inside James A. Calhoun Gymnasium in West Hartford, Conn. The Blue Jays outscored the Monks in the fourth quarter, 20-9.

GAME INFORMATION 
Score: USJ 60, SJC 65
Records: USJ (9-6, 5-3 GNAC), SJC (11-3, 6-0 GNAC)
Location: James A. Calhoun Gymnasium (West Hartford, Conn.)

HOW IT HAPPENED

SJC opened the game with a three-pointer to take the lead, but a six-point outburst by Jordan Ouellette (Bristol, Conn.) gave USJ the early advantage, 6-5, at the 6:18 mark. However, the Monks quickly fired back with a 3-0 stretch, retaking a 9-6 edge heading into the first quarter media timeout with 4:54 remaining. SJC continued to increase the gap, increasing the stretch to 7-0 and taking a 13-6 edge at the 4:15 mark. Maya Slisz (New Britain, Conn.) put an end to the run after sinking a free throw, but SJC answered right back with a triple to reestablish a 16-7 edge with 2:51 remaining. Jordan Farrell (West Hartford, Conn.) brought USJ within seven, 16-9 a few moments later. Both the Monks and Blue Jays would trade buckets in the closing moments as USJ used a 4-0 stretch, fueled by buckets from Ouellette and Taylor Verboven (Columbia, Conn.) to cut SJC's lead to 21-15. However, the Monks sank a pair of free throws in the closing seconds, holding a 23-15 edge entering the second quarter. 

USJ opened the second quarter strong, using a quick 4-0 stretch to cut the gap to four, 23-19, at the 8:11 mark. Capping the run was an old-fashioned three-point play from Olivia Heslin (Plainville, Conn.), who made a driving layup through contact before draining the and-one free throw. The Monks would waste little time responding, using an 8-2 stretch to gain a double-digit advantage, 31-21, with 5:58 on the clock. SJC would stretch the lead to as much as 11, 34-23, until Verboven brought USJ back within 10, 35-25, with 3:55 remaining in the half. Verboven again came up big for the Blue Jays, knocking down a three-pointer with 58 seconds left, but SJC closed the first half strong, taking a 46-32 edge into the break.

SJC opened the scoring to start the second half, but USJ quickly fired back with a 4-0 stretch, featuring buckets from Slisz and Amanda Fudge (Middletown, Conn.) as the Blue Jays cut the gap to 48-36 at the 8:00 mark. USJ went on to put on the clamps not allowing another made basket by the Monks until 5:22 remaining, where SJC sunk a triple to increase the gap to 51-36. After a made free-throw by the Monks, USJ utilized a 4-0 run, featuring four points by Janai Oliver (Hartford, Conn.), to cut the deficit to 12, 52-40, with 2:44 left in the third quarter. The Monks would end the quarter on a 4-0 stretch, taking a 56-40 lead into the fourth quarter.

USJ came out on fire to begin the fourth quarter, utilizing a 7-0 stretch to get back within single digits, 56-47, and forcing a SJC timeout at the 8:27 mark. Slisz continued the Blue Jays red-hot start, pulling USJ within seven, 56-49, after sinking a pair of free throws. USJ continued to mount the comeback, cutting the score back to seven after Slisz sunk a fast break layup, forcing SJC to call a timeout leading, 60-53, with 3:30 left in the game. Ouellette brought the score even closer, 60-55, after a tough putback layup with 2:31 on the clock. The fight back continued as USJ maintained his dominating pressure, as Fudge nailed a pair of free throws to get USJ within three, 60-57, with 1:20 remaining. Oliver would draw a foul while driving to the bucket, making a free throw to get USJ within two, 60-58, and forcing SJC to call a timeout with 24 seconds left. However, USJ would not get any closer as SJC iced the Blue Jays out on the free throw line, escaping with a 65-60 victory.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Slisz paced all scorers with 17 points.
• Ouellette and Verboven joined her in double-figures, dropping 14 and 13 points, respectively.
• Ouellette continued her streak of scoring in double-digits, tallying 10 or more points in every game this season.
• Oliver led the team in rebounding, hauling in seven boards.
• Jelly Frigo (Canton, Conn.) was the primary playmaker, dishing out five assists.
• USJ outshot SJC 36.7 percent (22 of 60) to 33.3 percent (20 of 60).
• The Monks held a slight edge in rebounding, 42-38.
• SJC thrived off second-chance opportunities, scoring 18 second chance points.
• USJ dominated inside, scoring 34 points inside the paint.
• SJC extended its lead in the all-time series to 13-2.
• The Monks increased their winning streak to seven games against the Blue Jays.

UP NEXT

Women's basketball heads back on the road for a GNAC matchup against Dean College on Tuesday, January 17th. Tipoff against the Bulldogs inside Pieri Gymnasium in Franklin, Mass., is set for 7:00 p.m. 

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